


Professional kindness

by nyargles



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Hawkeye (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Character Study, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, Science Babies, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-26
Updated: 2013-09-26
Packaged: 2017-12-27 15:50:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/980769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyargles/pseuds/nyargles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode one + Clint. Just because you didn't see him doesn't mean he wasn't there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Professional kindness

**Author's Note:**

> So, I don't even know. I just logged onto AO3 after the ep aired, and wanted there to be 10000x more fic already. D: Also, spoilers, all the spoilers.
> 
> (Come say [hi](http://www.defractum.tumblr.com)!)

"Your team is a mess," says Clint.

Phil says nothing, but Clint knows he heard because Phil crosses his arms. 

Clint is perched in the vents and indulging in using a pair of binoculars for once instead of a rifle sight. "That says a lot coming from me." Clint continues, knowing that if it really bothered Phil, he'd just take out the tiny earwig they keep their line. 

(It isn't actually their line at all – it's a SHIELD line accessable by anyone Level Five and over, but they learn very quickly not to use that particular frequency unless they want to hear Clint talking dirty at Phil. Sometimes Maria will sit in, in absolute silence until they're actually having intercom sex and interject with something utterly mood-breaking, and Clint will be forced to throw paint bombs at the very shiny length of her office's glass wall in retaliation. Phil will just mildly ask if she would like to join in.)

"Fitz-Simmons are going to break. As in, you're going to break them." Clint is watching over the science babies as Phil deals with Union Station. Phil trusts that his science babies will get the job done and figure out a neutralising agent, because he wouldn't have requisitioned them otherwise, but Clint doesn't trust anyone with Phil's safety apart from himself. It's actually hugely beneficial since the extra pair of eyes – and what a pair of eyes they are – helps maintain the façade that he is actually omniscient. 

"Also, I'm horny." 

Phil twitches. Clint manages to hold it together for about three seconds, and then cackles. "Your face," he teases, even though no one else would have been able to see the difference. Maria, maybe, but for different reasons to why Clint does. "It's not even remotely sexy in here, unfortunately. Your science babies are having a very loud meltdown and the air vents in this bus are too small."

Phil puts down his gun. 

"Noooooooo, don't do that," wails Clint, but very quietly so that the science babies don't hear him. Phil doesn't question how Clint is managing to keep an eye on him and Fitz-Simmons at the same time. He probably has a whole slew of electronics stowed away in that air vent with him. Honestly though, Phil doesn't think that the gun would have been much use anyway. Ward has eyes up high for the same job and if Mike does blow, he's going to take out the whole area. 

Phil does what he does best. Clint knows that voice very well. "I thought you only talked that sweet for me," he jokes, except for the part where it isn't a joke. He shifts uncomfortably in the air duct, taking the time to move his junk so he doesn't roll onto it. Hey, he spends enough time in air ducts that he knows to think about these things. Clint remembers being on the other side of that voice, that soothing voice, that calm, friendly smile that had fewer wrinkles back then. It had slipped through the cracks of his distrust, seeping inside him and making him doubt himself – making him trust Phil.

It had all been a trap, he had discovered the day after he had been taken in by SHIELD. Phil was kind by profession. (It had taken another six months after that to realise that Phil was kind off duty too, and that they were two very different kinds of kindness.)

Clint's voice comes on the comm again. "Bets on whether Fitz or Simmons breaks down into a blubbering vegetable first." He can't voice any of the other thoughts he's having. Clint is used to introspection – lots of time for it on long missions – but if anyone thinks that would make him good at confronting his own feelings, they have never talked to his psychologist. Phil just talks even sweeter than before. Clint can see Mike, his face tiny on the little screen Clint has, starting to melt. Clint listens to the speech. It's a similar one that Phil uses every time. (It had taken Clint three years to realise that though some of the lines stay the same, Phil genuinely means them every time.)

"Sciences babies to the rescue," says Clint softly, and Phil takes it as the sigh of relief it's meant to be. He only has to keep Mike talking for a few more minutes now.

-

"You should really stop calling them science babies," says Phil. Clint is lying on the floor with Pizza Dog as a pillow, firing pink plastic plunger arrows into the ceiling with the Cupid's bow he'd sported at Avengers tower last Valentine's Day. Clint lifts up his aviators, which are actually Phil's. Phil joins him on the floor, and Clint moves over so that Phil can squish in next to him on Pizza Dog. Pizza Dog whuffs his hello, and then goes back to sleep.

"They are science babies though," says Clint, drawing a SHIELD logo on the ceiling with pink plastic plungers. "It's like watching Stark and Banner, but adorably impressionable, panicky, baby versions." Phil sighs. "Long day at the office, dear?"

"So long," groans Phil. Up close, Clint can see the wrinkles around his eyes crumple together whenever he has to move his torso, the pained glaze of his eyes from pretending he isn't in any pain whatsoever, that he's completely fit to fight. He pulls Phil in by his tie – gently – and kisses him. This position, on the floor, on their sides, balanced on a dog for goodness' sakes, can't be comfortable, but Phil relaxes, curling his arm around Clint's waist.

" 'Lo," says Phil with a grin as he noses Clint's stubble, to better press a kiss onto his neck. "Long day of spying on me at the office, dear?"

"It's not spying – well, it is, but I'm a spy; it's what I'm – shut up, you." Clint grouses. "I'm an Avenger now, you can't be mean to me." 

Phil chuckles, and gently bites his jaw. "Downtime driving you crazy?"

"Yes. I mistakenly thought – ooh, downtime. I'll spend that with my boyfriend, who, due to being dead, _also has downtime_." Clint glares half-heartedly at Phil. "We could have gone to Tahiti or something."

"It's a magical place," says Phil, who has never been to Tahiti. They grin sharply at each other. Pizza Dog whines, and flops his paws over his eyes because whilst he is very happy to be used as a pillow, he can tell when he shouldn't be around.

"Let's get off this floor," says Clint, trying to subtly help Phil up without appearing to be helping him at all.

"I'm fine, Barton," says Phil easily, even though he's grimacing and not saying anything about Clint helping him up even though of course Phil has realised what he's doing.

Clint grins, and swoops in for another kiss. "I know, bossman. I just don't want to have sex on the dog."

**Author's Note:**

> So, I noticed Clark Gregg crossing his arms a lot in episode 1. Cue secret boyfriend signals idea.


End file.
